Warriors draft look: Centers

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Draft note: In the hours leading up to tonight's NBA Draft, Insider Matt Steinmetz will be conducting his final NBA mock draft beginning this morning at 10 a.m., and will pick a player every 15 minutes. Follow along all day long right here on CSNBayArea.com! The Warriors head into Thursdays NBA draft with four selections: The No. 7 pick, the No. 30 pick, the No. 35 pick and the No. 52 pick. While the Warriors would seem to have four positions pretty much setpoint guard, shooting guard, power forward and centerthe reality is that they could go in any direction come draft day.Leading up to Thursday, well rank the top players at each position, and see whether or not they could fit into the Warriors draft plans.CENTERSAndre Drummond, Connecticut, 6-10, 270 pounds: The drafts biggest enigma is the drafts biggest player. Drummond has all the physical skills, size and athleticism to become a big-time NBA center.But there are concerns about his bust potential. His critics say Drummond doesnt take the game seriously enough and will have great difficulty dealing with the competitiveness of the league.His backers say hes young, is still growing as a person and a player that is on the right track.Warriors angle: : There is a possibility that Drummond will be available when the Warriors select at No. 7. That means general manager Bob Myers and owner Joe Lacob have a decision to make: Do they take a young, raw big man who is a project or do they bypass him for something more certain?RELATED: Did Jerry West rule out drafting Andre Drummond?
Warriors minority owner Jerry West said on Chronicle Live on Wednesday that the Warriors needed a player who could help immediately and not one who needed two years to develop. That doesnt bode well for the Warriors picking Drummond.Tyler Zeller, North Carolina, 7-0, 250 pounds:He is big, he can run the floor and he is pro ready. But most believe that he doesnt have much of an upside and he is what he is.On the other end, Zeller is the kind of finished product who could probably step in right away and be a part of a teams rotation.Warriors angle: In many ways, Zeller would be a good fit for the Warriors. Hes good enough to be the first big man off the bench right now for Golden State and thats nothing to scoff at.Still, it might be a reach to pick Zeller with the No. 7 pick. If the Warriors end up with Zeller, chances are they moved back to do it.Meyers Leonard, Illinois, 7-1, 245 pounds: Its a little peculiar why Leonard isnt getting the kind of attention that Drummond is getting. After all, the two are very similar: both have big bodies, both are athletic and both have room for growth.Strange thing is, Leonard no doubt has a higher motor. It just doesnt add up.Warriors angle: The Warriors need to get more athletic, and Leonard is as big and athletic as it gets. Most figure Leonard will go somewhere after No. 10, so if the Warriors pick him it means they really like him.Chances are, Leonard will only be a Warrior if they trade back.Fab Melo, Syracuse, 7-0, 255 pounds:If youre looking for a big body, a space-eater, if you will, Melo might be your man. There are questions, however, about Melos character after being suspended at the end of Syracuses season.Warriors angle: There is talk that Melo could be slippingfrom the early 20s to possibly the second round. If Melo is there at No. 30, the Warriors would have to give him a look.Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt, 6-11, 255 pounds: Ezeli certainly isnt the most athletic player in the draft, but hes a proven rebounder and he doesnt mind doing the dirty work. Hes a very mature player off the court, and after picking the game up at a young age, has improved every year hes played.Warriors angle: Ezeli, like Melo, might be gone by the time the Warriors use their second pick in the first roundNo. 30. But if Ezeli is there, its tough to see them passing on him. Ezeli is not exactly like Ekpe Udoh, whom the Warriors traded in the deal for Andrew Bogut, but there are comparisons to be made there.

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